-112 - A Good Day For Flying

Harry and Snape were both asleep in the dungeons until early the next morning. They had slept right through the dinner and into the night. Snape woke when he heard a soft moan from Potter. He looked over at the sleeping boy squirming on the sofa, trapped in another nightmare.

Severus thought back to the days when he couldn't stand the sight of the boy. It was hard to believe he had ever felt so adversely towards Potter. Then he remembered when his feelings towards Harry had changed. The day in the infirmary at Hogwarts when Harry had reached his battered hand out to him for comfort. Why would this insufferable child ever think that I could bring him comfort?

Severus let his mind travel back to a time when another child had held his hand out for comfort as well …

A ten year old Severus was in his bedroom playing with his only companion at Snape manor, his pet snake. He could feel the heavy footsteps coming his way, before he ever heard them. Severus quickly gathered the snake up and stuffed it into the box and pushed it under his bed just as his door flew open.

Sebastian stood in the doorway looking down at his pathetic son and wishing he had never been born. "You dare to disobey me!" He snarled out while walking towards his son.

Severus looked up at him with pure terror. He knew he would get beaten for not following the order he was given and had not been able to carry out.

Earlier that day his snake had escaped his rooms and had found his Aunt in the tearoom. The snake somehow managed to crawl into her handbag and when Aunt Vespa put her hand in the bag the snake had bit it. Severus' father had demanded that Severus be the one to kill the snake by drowning. He wanted the process to take as long as possible, so his son would suffer. Severus couldn't bring himself to do it and planned on hiding his pet under his bed instead. Somehow Sebastian had found out and now Severus would pay a dear price.

Sebastian grabbed the boy by his shirt and pulled him up so they were face to face, the boy's legs dangling. Looking at the boy with contempt he snarled out, "You have been a great disappointment to me and to your Great Aunt. You are not the child I had hoped for, you are weak and far too much like your mother. You are not worth my time. I no longer consider you to be my son."

Severus' heart dropped. What does this mean?

"You will stay here at the manor until you begin school and then you are not to contact me for anything, nor are you ask for anything. Do not come home for the holidays." He coldly dropped his son to the floor in a heap and turned to walk out of the room.

"Wait Father! I can change!" Severus was kneeling on the floor and held his hand up to his father not wanting to be left alone.

Sebastian turned back to his son and grabbed his hand. He then pulled his wand out of his pocket and the tip became a small flame. With an evil whisper he said, "Let this be a reminder that you are never to address me as 'Father' again." With that he took the flaming wand and ground it into his son's hand.

Severus tried not to cry, he tried not be weak, but soon he couldn't help himself. A scream that he could no longer hold back ripped through the air and fell on deaf ears.

Migi, their house elf came running into the room and stopped frozen at the sight.

"You are not to touch the boy," Sebastian snarled at the house elf, "I will be leaving on an extended trip and while I am gone you are not to attend to the boy in any way. He will fend for himself." He looked at his pathetic son curled up on the floor and said, "Accio snake!" The snake came hurling through the air and landed in his hand. He walked over to the fireplace and tossed the snake in. Then without another word he walked out the door.

At that moment, Severus closed his heart down and thus began the cold outer shell that took years longer to form. He lived in the manor taking care of himself, washing his own clothes, foraging for his own food, cooking for himself, until he was thankfully on his way to Hogwarts. Once there he never wrote to his father or saw him for any holiday. His father never sent money for clothes or supplies but somehow Severus managed. He began to make potions to sell and buy the items he needed. During the summers he stayed at Snape Manor, very much alone.

Now years later he had the opportunity to do what he wished had been done for him. He had the chance to become someone different then his father. When he had held Harry's hand in the infirmary something had happened to him. That hard shell began to crack, just a little but he knew this was a chance to change. That violent reaction he had the other day still reverberated in his mind. Those actions were not from him, he knew he would never consider treating the boy that way. Black magic - it was the only answer. Until he figured out what was wrong with him he knew he had to get the boy away.

Snape stood up and walked over to the fireplace, taking a handful of floo powder and throwing it in. "Hogwarts … Professor Dumbledore" Snape said. He stuck his head in the green flames and looked around. The room was empty. The portraits were looking at him and Severus said, "Please inform Professor Dumbledore that an emergency has arisen and he must contact me as soon as possible." Snape walked back to his chair by Potter and leaned his head on the workbench to wait for Dumbledore's call. Soon his eyes felt too heavy to remain open.

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When Harry awoke he saw Severus propped up against the work bench in his chair. Harry decided to explore a little before waking him up. He needed to find out if all the ingredients were here to make the invisibility potion. He pulled the potions book out and searched the cabinet. He found it well stocked with everything he needed.

He knew the Aurors were trying to find Hedwig but he just couldn't give up hope. He wasn't ready to let go of another friend. He had experienced too much loss in such a short time and he knew he couldn't handle anymore. That is why he was trying not to imagine the risks involved in sneaking back to Privet Drive using the invisibility potion to hide him.

Harry knew if he was caught by Uncle Vernon he was a goner, and if the ministry caught him he was going back to the Dursley's anyway. Harry tried not to think of actually entering number four Privet Dr. The thought was just too frightening, but if there was any chance Hedwig was there, it would be worth it.

He looked back over at Snape and felt a bit guilty for this huge deception. Maybe he should give him a chance, maybe he should talk with him about it? But what if it made Snape angry? I don't want to be around for that again. He finally decided not to risk it and to just do this alone.

He stood before Snape and gave a little cough.

Snape's eyes flew open and he quickly pulled his wand out while trying to stand.

Harry took several steps back, "Whoa Professor it's just me."

Snape looked around and said coarsely, "Upstairs Potter, shower and come down to breakfast. I will not be eating with you this morning." I cannot take the chance of harming him again.

"Okay ... are you alright sir?" Harry asked as he eyed him warily.

'Fine, fine just go on your way Potter," Snape retorted with annoyance. No he would not take any chances of harming the boy again. He would keep his distance from the boy until he found what the curse was.

Aunt Vespa and Charlet were taking breakfast in their rooms so they were both spared the lecture Severus knew was coming from Vespa, regarding the missed supper last night.

Harry showered and changed before heading down to the formal dining room. He felt uncomfortable sitting in there all alone with house elves serving him. He finished off his breakfast as quickly as possible. As Harry finished up breakfast, Snape came into the room.

"Did you eat an adequate amount?" Snape asked knowing how thin the boy was.

"I think I ate more this morning then I have all summer."

Snape eyed the empty plate, satisfied Potter had eaten a fair amount before replying, "You will need the nourishment for what I have planned for you today."

Harry looked up at him with trepidation clearly written on his face.

"Not to worry Potter, I think you might actually enjoy this."

He led the boy outside and through the garden. Severus had a surprise waiting for Harry. They walked over to the expansive lawn area and there waiting for Harry was his brand new Firebolt.

"Brilliant!" yelled Harry as he picked up the broom with a surge of excitement.

Harry was just aching to jump on and go. He was just about to kick off, when Severus stopped him.

"Potter, stay in the safety zone. We do not know who's out there looking for us but no matter who it is, they won't be looking out for your safety. Understand?"

"Don't be such a worry wart Professor," Harry laughed with excitement … until he looked into Snape's eyes. Oops, maybe I shouldn't of answered that way.

"Um, yes sir, I'll be safe."

Severus wanted to smile at the way the boy was finally starting to let his guard down with him, but continued his stern look. "Alright, off you go." Flicking his fingers up.

Harry didn't need to be told twice. He kicked off and was soaring up high with pure happiness. He flipped upside down and swooped down close to Severus with a loud WHOOP! He soared back up at an incredible speed. The wind whipping across his face and hair. It felt so good to feel the power of the speed. He decided to have a little look around while he was up there and try to get a better understanding for the surrounding land. He needed to see how he could sneak out when he was ready to rescue Hedwig.

The land was covered in trees with lots of brush and open land. He knew the only way out, without getting caught would have to be his new Firebolt. Once he was out, he would have to head for the closest city and hope for a train or if he was lucky the Night Bus would pick him up. This plan just had to work.

Then he began to feel guilty, thinking about Severus and all he had done for him. If they were really going to be a true family, shouldn't he start to trust him? Maybe Severus would actually help me.

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Meanwhile … Snape had walked down into the dungeons and stood in front of a tall looking glass. He chanted a complicated spell and a small blue light lit the tip of his wand. He placed the wand to his head and watched through the mirror as the spell took hold. The blue light began to circle his head, making a whirring sound and speeding up to a blue blur. The circle of light began to move downward past his neck and to his chest. Snape continued to watch as the light whirred louder. Suddenly, just as the light passed his heart, the light turned green for a flash of a second. If Snape had blinked he would have missed it. But there it was, the green indicating a curse of some sort had indeed been cast on him. The blue light continued down his body until it reached the floor. Once it was at the floor it dissipated.

Snape quickly walked over to the shelf in the corner and pulled an old beat up book down. He scanned through the "Dark Arts Potions And Curses" book until he found what he had been looking for. A green light had indicated a blood curse that could only have been placed by a blood relative. Was it his vindictive father who had placed it?

He continued reading and found that the only way to find what the exact curse was, was to draw blood from himself and mix it with a complicated potion. Well, that I can do!

Snape pulled out the ingredients for the potion and began to wonder what was taking Dumbledore so long to get back to him. He felt it was necessary to send Harry back to the school until he could figure this out. He continued with the task at hand worried at the results he might find.

As he was looking for the last ingredient "tongue of a wiztil" he found his potions book opened up and laying on the work bench. He knew for a fact that he had not left it out.

He turned the opened book over and saw the page it was opened to. Invisibility Potion? He knew he hadn't planned on working on that. Potter, could Potter be planning to brew this? It was illegal for an underage minor to brew! What foolhardy plan did Potter have up his sleeve now? Bloody hell, was he planning on sneaking out? It would be just like the dim-wit to be up to his old antics!

Snape's anger began to rise. No, fight it! He decided not to seek the imprudent adolescent out until he gave himself a calming draught. In the mean time, he took the ingredients needed for the invisibility potion and locked them in a secret vault behind the picture on the wall of his Great Grandfather. He took the calming draught and went to find Potter.

Harry must have been flying for quite sometime because when he looked down again Snape was motioning for him to come back in.

He landed with a soft whoosh and jumped off feeling refreshed.

"Wow! That was incredible, you should see how fast I can go on this thing!"

"Potter I need to talk with you," Snape said in a clipped tone.

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